A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit. — Arnold H. Glasow

A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit.

Author: Arnold H. Glasow

Insight: Most people have this backwards. We naturally blame ourselves for failures while grabbing credit for wins—or we do the opposite, depending on our mood. But real leadership flips the script in a way that's both counterintuitive and oddly liberating. When a leader takes the hit for what went wrong, something shifts in how people relate to them. They're not looking for a scapegoat or someone to deflect onto. That removes the fear that hangs over teams—the fear that you'll be thrown under the bus when things get messy. Teams work differently when they know their leader owns the problems. And paradoxically, people actually respect that strength more than they respect someone who carefully protects their image. The credit part matters just as much. Hoarding credit is such an obvious power move that it actually undermines authority. When a leader steps back and highlights what others did, it doesn't make them look weak—it makes them look secure enough not to need constant validation. Plus, people work harder for someone who actually sees what they contribute. So this isn't some noble sacrifice. It's the practical wisdom of someone who understands that real influence doesn't come from looking good. It comes from making other people feel like they matter.